Climbing device for skis



Feb. 8, 1938. y A. BINDER CLIMBING DEVICE FOR SKIS Filed Sept. 4, 1936 R5R, v 00 E WMXM 3%. m m T A A w M m n Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITEDSTATES CLIMBING DE"ICE FOR SKIS Anna Binder, Buchau, Germany ApplicationSeptember 4, 1936, Serial No. 99,338 In Germany January 18, 1935 1Claim.

This invention relates to skis and has for its main object to provide anovel and efiicient device to aid the user of such skis in climbinghills or in general when ascending.

Another object of this invention .is to provide a device ascharacterized hereinbefore which may easily, quickly and conveniently beput out of operation when the user of the skis is descending, orproceeding on more or less level ground, while othe device will remainready for a quick change and in a position to be again useful in case anascending is necessary.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent as the specification ofthe same proceeds, and

among others I may mention: to provide a device was proposed to treatthe lower or running surfaces of the skis with a special wax, or,leather, pieces of fur, or other devices have been applied to saidrunning surfaces to increase the frictional resistance. All thesedevices and means required certain experience and skill, or they wereawkward and cumbersome mechanical devices causing a great amount oflabor, trouble, and consuming valuable time on ski voyages. This wasespecially the case in such voyages in which alternately ascending anddescending stretches were included. The final result was that the skiereither abandoned all such aids or was greatly hindered through suchdevices in his travel.

I also am aware that various mechanical devices have been applied toskis for the purposes mentioned hereinbefore, but it is a commonknowledge that their operation was very unsatisfactory, and they alsowere apt to cause trouble and annoyance, and ultimately they were rathera hindrance than an aid.

All these drawbacks of the older devices have been eliminated by mydevice which is the subject of the present invention, and my inventionenables a skier to apply on his skis, and at any time and as often as hedesires, and in a quick, convenient and secure manner, a device whichwill aid him in ascending even quite steep hills with the least possibleeffort, and which device 55 after the ascent may again be in a similareasy and quick manner put out of operation so as not to obstruct thefurther travel.

My invention mainly consists in .a gripor wedge member which may easilybe applied underneath the running surface of the ski ina transversedirection thereto, and which at any time may be as easily taken off fromthe same, and which wedge or grip will be of such a design and heightthat it will provide a secure grip and stopping action in all kindssurface of snow.

The wedge or grip and its securing means are of such construction thatwhen it is desired to put said grip out of operation the same may easilyand quickly be entirely taken off the ski 15:1

and carried in a bag or in a pocket of the skier, or it may simply besecured on the upper surface of the ski.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification and accompanying thesame:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a ski to which my invention has beenapplied;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the center portion of the skishown in Fig. 1, on a larger scale, showing my device applied thereon inan operative position,

Fig. 3 is a similar side elevation showing my device on the uppersurface of the ski in an inoperative position, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the center 30 portion of the skiona larger scale showing my device applied thereto, the wedge or gripportion thereof having been removed.

Referring now to the drawing more closely by characters of reference,the numeral l0 indi-. cates a ski on the upper surface whereof isapplied in about the center 'of the same a plate member forming agenerally semi-circular sleeve ll transversely to the ski l0, and beingsecured thereon in any convenient manner as by the 40 screws l2.

Journaled in the sleeve II is an upper transverse member or branch l3 ofa rectangular frame, generally indicated by the numeral I,

having righthanded and lefthanded side mem- 45 here l5 and I6,respectively, and a lower transverse member l'l.

Normally the frame I4 is in the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, itslower member I! being underneath the running surface of the ski at adesired distance thereunder and transversely thereto, and on said lowertransverse member I! is applied the operating element proper of mydevice being in the form of a grip or Wedge l9,

preferably having a pointed gripping edge 20, a

and conditions of 15 I6 may be 10 end 26 of the upper transverse memberI3. For

better securing said flattened end 26 in said slot 25 a nose orprojection 21 may be formed on the termination of said flattened end 26,as shown in Fig. 4. The outer end of the left side member screw threadedas at 28, and engaged by a wing nut 29.

The use and operation of my device will be obvious from the hereindescription.

When it is desired to use my device for ascend- 20 ing, the same will beplaced in the position shown in Figs. land 2, and the wing nut 29 willbe tightly drawn, thereby securing the wedge or grip I9 on the underside of the ski, and enabling same to grip the snow, aid in the ascent,and prevent 2i backward slipping.

When again it is desired to put my device out of operation, the wing nut29 will be released, the left hand side member It opened around thepivot 24, the member lfl pulled out of the sleeve II,

30; thereby removing my device from the ski, whereupon the grip or wedgemember I9 will be placed on the upper surface 30 of the ski as indicatedin Fig. '3', the member I3 replaced in the sleeve I I, the

sidemember I6 closed thereon, and the wing nut 353 29 tightened. Mydevice is now firmly secured in the position indicated in Fig. 3permitting an unhindered sliding of the ski. 1

I preferably place my device in front of the usual foot rest, or footplate 3 I, and foot securing means 32 of the ski, and in the inoperativeposition thereof shown inFig. 3 the same may be helpful in protectingthe foot from the snow.

It is obvious that my device may be entirely taken off the ski, in themanner described here- 'inbefore and instead of replacing it thereon inthe inoperative position of Fig. 3, the frame and for arranging andsecuring the grip member proper I9, or narrower ring-like members, orother projections may be employed instead of the sleeve I I, the shapeand proportions of the grip member I9 may be changed and, instead ofsuch a member, several of them may be employed or even individual teeth,pins, or the like, while of course they appear to me to be lessadvantageous than the form here shown. In a similar manner theapplication, the removal, and the securing of the grip member I9 may bearranged in various other manners than the one here shown.

What I claim as new, and want to protect by Letters Patent, is: l

A climbing device for skis, comprising a sleeve member transverselysecured on the upper surface of the ski, a frame member being composedof an upper transverse element across said upper surface arranged insaid sleeve, a first downhanging side element at one end of said upperelement, a lower transverse element underneath the ski, and a secondside element pivoted on the free end of said lower transverse element, areleasable connection between the free ends of said upper 38 transverseelement and said second side element, of said frame respectively, a gripmember secured on said lower transverse element having a base surfaceadapted to rest against the lower surface preferred of the ski and apointed end opposite thereof, said upper transverse element beingadapted to be moved out of, or into, said sleeve element by a slidingmotion when said connection is released and said second side element isturned below the lower surface of the ski on its pivoted connection with5 the lower transverse element.

' ANNA BINDER.

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